Keeper of the Spatula

Chapter 9: Stand By Me

Later that
afternoon, SpongeBob, Squidward, and Patrick were sitting in a forest after
escaping the Middle Caves in the mountain that was home to the dangerous
snakehead, Kobra. However, one of their group members did not make it out with
them and went down with the cave and monster.

SpongeBob
was sitting in the dirt with a depressed look on his face from losing his boss.
“Poor Mr. Krabs…” he muttered until he broke into a sob as tears ran down his
cheeks, “I never wanted this to happen!”

Squidward
was leaning against a tree, moping at the events as well. “Yeah…me neither.” He
said in a dull tone, “He dragged us out here and then left us. How did it ever
come to this?”

Patrick
walked over to the weeping SpongeBob and asked, “So SpongeBob, do you know when
Mr. Krabs is coming back so we can know where to go next?”

“Oh, don’t
you understand, Patrick?” SpongeBob hysterically asked, “He’s gone forever out
of our lives! A brave man like him suffered the fate of being crushed
underneath tons of rubble and a vicious Kobra!”

He began
sobbing again as Patrick offered the end of his cloak to him which SpongeBob
proceeded to blow his nose on.

“So Mr.
Krabs isn’t coming back?” Patrick asked clueless.

Squidward
then sighed and began to walk away. “Well, it’s been a real nice experience
with all of you, so let’s start our journey home.”

“Squidward,
wait!” SpongeBob called, stopping Squidward from going further. “We can’t quit
now. We have to keep journeying until we reach the Arctic Ocean. We still have to toss Hoagie’s spatula into
the volcano.”

“Are you
crazy?” Squidward asked in an angered tone. “After everything that’s just
happened, you still wanna keep going
to a frozen wasteland just to toss a piece of junk into a volcano?”

“Of course
I do.” SpongeBob responded with a determined look as he took the gold spatula
out of his pocket. “I promised Hoagie and I’m keeping it. And I sure am not
gonna let Mr. Krabs down either. That’s not what he would’ve wanted.”

“Oh, gimme
a break.” Squidward scoffed as he walked over to SpongeBob and pointed at him,
continuing, “If you wanna risk your life going to some frozen wasteland to
throw a piece of junk into a volcano, then be my guest. I’m heading back home,
so give me the map.”

“I can’t
do that, Squidward.” SpongeBob defiantly responded as he crossed his arms.

“And why
not?” Squidward angrily asked. “Because Mr. Krabs would’ve wanted you to have
it so you can continue the journey in his honor?”

“No,”
SpongeBob replied as he looked down sadly. “Because Mr. Krabs was the one who
had the map.”

Squidward
suddenly got a dumbstruck look as SpongeBob turned around and began marching
forward with the spatula in his hand. “Well, then.” He spoke in determination
as he pressed forward. “I’m going to finish this journey…even if I have to do
it myself.”

“SpongeBob,
wait!” Patrick called as he rushed over to his best friend before the sponge
could leave. “What about me? What do I do?”

“But what
about you?” Patrick asked, looking like he was about to cry.

He stopped
for a moment and looked down at the spatula in hands. “I’m sorry, Pat.”
SpongeBob replied, looking sad as well. “But I have to keep going. I have to
finish this journey to the Arctic Ocean. Not just for Hoagie…but for Mr. Krabs
as well.”

He then
pocketed the spatula and ran through the woods as he waved back and shouted,
“Goodbye, friends!” leaving Patrick and Squidward behind as they stared blankly
at the sponge running off.

When
SpongeBob reached the edge of the forest, he stopped when he spotted a large
lake ahead of him. He pondered to himself about what he would do to get across.
Then he moved his eyes to see a rowboat conveniently sitting on the shore.

SpongeBob
began pushing it into the water, using all the strength he had to move it from
the shore. Once it was all the way into the water, he hopped into the boat and
began using the oar inside to row across the lake.

When
SpongeBob had rowed himself almost toward the middle of the lake, he heard a
familiar voice shout, “SpongeBob!”

He turned
his head back to the shore to see Patrick jumping up and down to get his
attention while Squidward stood behind him, not doing anything.

“Patrick?
Squidward?” SpongeBob questioned until he shouted back to them, “What are you
guys doing?!”

“We’re
coming with you!” Patrick continued to shout back to him. “We’re gonna help you
destroy the spatula!”

SpongeBob
didn’t look happy by this statement, and he gained a sad expression again as he
replied, “But Patrick, I told you to go home with Squidward! It’s too dangerous
and I don’t wanna lose you!”

“But
SpongeBob, we’re best friends!” Patrick shouted as he ran into the lake.
“Wherever you go, I wanna go too!” once he got deeper into the water, he began
to flail his arms. “Best friends are supposed to stick together no matter
what!”

SpongeBob
began to gasp in shock at seeing Patrick flailing in the water since he
obviously couldn’t swim. “Patrick!” he cried out in worry.

But Patrick
continued waving his arms around as he struggled to stay afloat. “Help! Help!
I’m drowning! I can’t swim!”

“Patrick…”
Squidward dryly said as he simply walked through the lake with the water only
coming up to his knees. He looked at the starfish with an annoyed frown and
said, “Stop swimming.”

When
Squidward continued walking through the water, Patrick stopped flailing around
and stood up, now realizing he was still in the shallow part of the lake. “Oh
yeah.” He said upon realizing this.

Squidward
then climbed into SpongeBob’s boat along with Patrick, nearly tipping the boat
over with his weight.

“Oh,
Patrick…” SpongeBob said with a warm smile as he sniffled, close to tears.
“Thank you for always being there for me- even with the danger coming closer.”

He hugged
Patrick as the starfish smiled. “Anytime, good buddy.” He replied as he hugged
him back. “‘Danger’ is my middle name.”

SpongeBob
then turned to Squidward with a happy smile. “And thank you, Squidward.” He hugged him as well as he cried tears of joy. “I
knew you would always be there for me.”

“Yeah,
yeah, yeah,” Squidward irritably replied as he pried SpongeBob off. “The only
reason I’m going is because I figured since you both dragged me all this way, I
might as well finish what I started.” Then he crossed his arms and frowned.
“Though I don’t see how we’re gonna do that without a map to show us which way
to go.”

Then as if
things couldn’t get any worse, while Patrick continued to run down a list of
names, SpongeBob started to sing again as he swung the oar around.

SpongeBob:
OHHHH! Me, Pat, and Squidward

We’re going along

Down the long trail

Though we might be wrong

Me, Pat, and Squidward

We’re all a great team

With Hoagie’s spatula-

But
Squidward covered his mouth to stop him from finishing. “Please don’t even
think of doing anymore singing.” He warned the sponge.

As they
continued to float down the lake with SpongeBob merrily rowing the boat as he
hummed the song to himself, Patrick began to hold his stomach as a nauseated
look appeared on his face. “Ughhh…I don’t think I feel so good.”

“I’m
sorry, Patrick.” SpongeBob said in concern. “I didn’t even think you get
seasick.”

Squidward
crossed his arms and told the starfish, “Well, don’t even think of blowing
chunks while you’re in this boat.”

“I don’t
think it’s chunks, Squidward.” Patrick replied as he swayed back and forth in
the boat, looking even sicker. “I think it might be the kelp jerky I had for
lunch.”

When
Patrick covered his mouth, signifying that he was about to vomit, Squidward
quickly backed away to the other end of the boat with SpongeBob. Then the two
franticly begged the sick starfish to hold his lunch in until they reached
land. But when it looked like Patrick wouldn’t comply, the sponge and
cephalopod quickly grabbed the oars and rapidly paddled their way through the
lake.

Once they
reached their destination, SpongeBob and Squidward got off the boat and started
panting in exhaustion as they heard a loud burp from behind them.

They turn
to see Patrick get out of the boat, looking much better. “It was just gas…who
knew?” he said with a smile and shrug.

Patrick
began walking forward onto the trail while Squidward growled and steamed with
anger until SpongeBob attempted to calm him down. “Relax, Squiddy.” He said
with a cheerful smile as he waved his hand. “The important thing is we’re now
all happy and healthy.”

He took
out the golden spatula and waved it around as he skipped forward. “Hoagie’s
ready, so let’s go!”

With no
other choice now, Squidward reluctantly followed along on their continuing
journey to the Arctic Ocean.

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